Who needs to travel abroad when you have such beautiful British weather? If you have the opportunity, you should take a day trip and visit one of these great spots in England:
Eastbourne
This attractive Victorian seaside town is popular all year long. There are award-winning beaches, a charming pier and beautiful floral gardens. You won’t want to leave the beach, but there are art galleries, museums, and castles nearby.
Isle of Wight
This island off the coast of England has seen many wonderful holidays. The island offers quintessential English appeal, but it feels like you are on a holiday when you arrive by boat. Discover 60 miles of unspoiled coastline, turquoise waters and impressive cliffs. For Camper Van Hire Gloucestershire, visit //www.tlcamperhire.co.uk/
Bournemouth
This is another fantastic seaside resort and the third most popular coach trip destination in Britain. It’s easy to see why this seaside town is so popular. With seven miles of beaches and a promenade lined by brightly coloured beach huts, plus an elegant pier, it’s no wonder. You can see tame, friendly squirrels in the parks. Don’t forget the aquarium for a fun family experience.
Newquay
Cornwall is a perfect destination for summer. It has charm, sun, surf, and cider. Newquay has 11 beaches, which is rare. From relaxing rock pool exploration to thrilling water sports, there are many activities. Take a relaxing clifftop stroll, watch surfers riding the waves or visit the harbour to see if you can spot some seals.
Great Yarmouth
The town’s sunny weather is a draw all year long, even during the autumn and spring. Two piers are located on the beachfront and the sandy, soft beaches extend for what seems like miles. The town is rich in maritime history and has many museums.
What makes the English seaside special
Many people picture France, Spain or Greece when they think of a beach holiday, but England’s coast has plenty of its own to offer. The variety is striking. Some beaches have long stretches of pale sand, some are rocky, and others are soft and flat, so there is something to suit families, walkers and anyone who simply wants to sit and watch the sea.
What really sets English seaside towns apart is their culture and tradition. Piers, fish and chip shops, amusement arcades and gift shops are all part of a day out by the sea, and they give each resort its own character.
History is never far away either. Some of the most interesting stretches of coast are home to castles built by past rulers, adding a sense of the past to a day at the beach. Together, the scenery and heritage show why so many people choose to explore the country’s coastline rather than heading abroad.
How Victorian holidaymakers built the seaside
Many of the seaside towns that still draw visitors today owe their shape to the Victorians. Holidays by the sea became hugely popular in that era, and resorts around the UK grew quickly to meet demand. Grand hotels went up along the front, piers filled with games and amusements, and restaurants opened to feed the crowds who flocked to the coast every summer.
Flying abroad has since become affordable and common, and plenty of people now choose guaranteed heat, warmer seas and somewhere completely new over a week at home. The appeal is easy to understand when British summer sunshine can be hit or miss.
Even so, the Victorian resorts have kept their following. The same piers, promenades and seafront hotels that drew the first holiday crowds are a big part of what makes a trip to the English coast feel special, whether you go for a week or just a day.
More coastal highlights around Britain
Britain has more than 11,000 miles of coastline, and nowhere is more than about 70 miles from the sea, so a beach day is never far away. St Ives in Cornwall offers fresh air and sparkling water, while Bournemouth has seven miles of sand and some of the warmest sea temperatures on the UK coast. In Wales, Tenby has over a mile of sand dunes and plenty for families, and Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula is an award-winning beach popular with surfers.
Seaside towns are full of quirky surprises. The Shell Grotto in Margate is a 70-foot tunnel decorated with more than four million shells in mosaics and symbols. It was uncovered in 1835, and nobody knows who made it.
There is culture by the coast too. The open-air theatre at Porthcurno in Cornwall stages plays, comedies and musicals through the summer, Crosby Beach on Merseyside has cast-iron figures gazing out to sea that disappear as the tide comes in, Margate has a major contemporary art gallery and Llandudno has a busy theatre. And no seaside trip is complete without fish and chips.